Happy Falls in Love with a Real Cat A Fairy Tail fan fiction by Summer Cheng

Chapter 11 The Fork in the Road & Other Such Business?

            As they travel down the road a bit, Ezra points out a funny area not far from where they all are at the moment.  Ezra says, "Look, the map says there is a fork in the road somewhere along here!"  

            "A fork, as in a marker, or an actual fork?"  Natsu ask.  He laughs at the look of annoyance he receives from Ezra at such a question.   He only brought this up because he thought it would be funny.

         "Haha, that is a good one Natsu!"  Happy and Lucy laugh in unison. 

      Melinda looks around in confusion as she can not see what could possibly be funny.

       Two hours later, they arrive at the location and discover low and behold a literal fork!  

"Whoa, would would have thought it would be a real one!'  Ezra remarks in surprise.  Her eyes get bigger as well since she can not hardly believe it!  Why  its like something out of a  cartoon. 

     "That is really something, right, Luce!"  Natsu says.

      "Yes, it is." Lucy says.  She sounds a bit weaker than usual. She also can tell her wound hurts a bit more than it did before and thinks, oh, no!  What should I do?

      "Luce, what is it ?  There is something wrong now isn't there?"  Natsu says. He really shows concern for her as he sees her skin grow pale, her lips turn blue and she passes out.

         "Oh, no!  Miss Lucy!"  Happy says as he feels the tears stain his cheeks.

         "Lucy, hang in there, girl!  Just hang in there!"  Ezra says as she picks her up, and begins to carry her. 

            Melinda tries to do her typical meow or a gentle mew.   She coughs up a hairball (*Author's note:  totally, gross I might add) and tries again.  She manages to get out a few words this time.  "Lucy, has something wrong with her am I right?"  Melinda says plainly as if she were not your  normal house cat, but a anime character instead.

              "What?  She speaks?"  Ezra says in surprise.

            "Yeah, it seems she does!"  Happy says, he too is taken about what just took place.  

            "Guys, this is no time to go on about Melinda' s sudden speech, what about Lucy?"  Natsu says in a voice that shows his worry for her at once.  He clearly can not handle it if something should ever happen to her.

             " Do not worry, I am sure she will be just fine."  Happy says.  He says this more to assure himself than to assure Natsu.  Really he has no clue how things will go with her health though.  How is he to know?  After all, he is no doctor.

            The four walk on the long path back home while Lucy remains unconscious in Ezra's  arms.  No one says another word about Lucy's  condition.  It will do no good too as it cannot improve it anyway.   So, they travel on  in  silence for another 6 hours.  

           Six hours pass, and they still have yet to reach the guild.  The weather turns bad, as the sky turns gray, it begins to rain and  there is no shelter nearby.   Everyone decides there is no choice about the matter and they must keep on for Lucy's  sake. 

        At long last they reach a village, one with a few empty buildings and a small shop.   They enter a small, old house, where Ezra sets Lucy gently down by the fireplace. 

      Natsu finds some wood, puts it in the fireplace, lights it and as the fire starts, he lays beside his dear Lucy.  He refuses to let her go.  He falls asleep with a sad expression on his face. 

      Ezra looks at Nalu and shakes her head in pity.  She feels for them, really she does.  

       Happy sobs some tears for Lucy.  He can not believe that someone so nice as her is so very ill just like this.  He can not understand it.  What brought this on anyway?   He thinks, I suppose none of us shall really ever know.  

      Melinda can tell everyone is rather quiet.  She figures it must have something to do with Lucy.  Whatever it is can not be good, why else is she still unconscious and her skin so pasty?  She walks over to her and gently pulls off the bandage with her right paw.  She gasp when she sees it.  It is worse than she thought.  Way worse, why the area beneath the cloth that is now off her has red spots all over with white dots in the middle.  It looks like a spider bite.  

     She decides at once she must warn them!  She must let them know that she suspects the source behind the sudden change in Lucy's health.  There has to be something they can do to save her life.  There must be right?   What she thinks, is what her chances of survival if they do not find her help soon versus her chances with it?  

       Before Melinda can say a word she falls asleep due to exhaustion and her lack of a decent meal since the small snack they all ate earlier that day.  She sleeps for how long she is not aware. 

          At some point, she wakes up with Ezra walks over to her and says, " I know you can talk, so please tell us what do you believe is wrong with our friend here?   I must know, so I  can decide what course of action to take place to get her what she needs.  So, go on now then, speak!  Speak I tell you!  Speak!"

        Natsu wakes up to the sound of   Ezra's voice as she pleads for Melinda to speak up.  He also sees the cloth next to Lucy. He looks at her arm and gasps when he too sees the horrid sploshes all over it.  There is only one thing that could have done this to her!  It must have been one of the creatures back at the place where they fought all those monsters and giants.  Which one though?   Why did she not say anything?  Will she die, or will she make it?  He hopes she survives for he is not sure he can bare it if she does not.

       *Author's Note:  What happens next?  Will Lucy make it?  Does Melinda do as Ezra demands of her and talk once more or does she remain silent as can be?  -Summer Cheng

       to be continued in Chapter  12   Melinda Speaks Again?